Often, caught up in the worries of paying your bills and other stress, we forget to prioritize our health. How often have you ignored a cough or forgotten to take your vitamins for the day? Although bad things and surprising issues do pop up, we don’t consider them an issue until it affects us. It was the same for this young flight attendant, who never knew that a simple cough could lead to a shocking diagnosis, possibly saving his life.

Lingering Cough and a Search for Answers

In 2021, Warren developed a cough that came and went. With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, he was regularly tested for his job, with all results coming back negative. When the cough persisted, he visited his doctor, who initially prescribed antihistamines and then omeprazole, suspecting acid reflux.

Wanting more answers, Warren had a chest X-ray and a CT scan. The scans eventually revealed an abnormality in one of his lungs, leading to surgery in February 2022. It was then that he received the devastating diagnosis of Stage 3a lung cancer, which had spread to two of his lymph nodes.

From Treatment to Recovery

Warren's surgery was followed by several cycles of chemotherapy. He experienced severe side effects, including hair loss, constant fatigue, and sickness. After completing his treatment, Warren was signed off as fit to fly in January 2023, following a series of clear scans. He has since returned to work on long-haul flights and is enjoying running again, logging 15-20 miles a week.

Despite his recovery, Warren is candid about the ongoing mental health challenges. He plans to start counseling to manage his anxiety about the cancer returning and is committed to fundraising for organizations like Cancer Research UK and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

Lung Cancer Diagnosis – Why Is It A Big Cause Of Concern?

Being the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, lung cancer has the highest mortality rates in both men and women, according to the World Health Organization. What’s even more concerning is that it is often diagnosed in the advanced stage, during which the treatment options available are limited.

Warren's story highlights that lung cancer can affect anyone, regardless of age or lifestyle. He urges people to listen to their bodies and see a doctor if something doesn't feel right.

Early-stage lung cancer often has no obvious symptoms. However, you should be aware of a persistent cough that doesn't go away after three weeks or gets worse. Other potential signs include:

• Recurrent chest infections
• Chest pain when coughing
• Persistent breathlessness
• Unexplained fatigue or low energy
• Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss

What Follows A Lung Cancer Diagnosis?

According to the American Lung Association, it's important to be prepared for several key aspects of the journey. Here's what you can expect:

Be Your Own Advocate

Take charge of your healthcare decisions. Ask questions, do your research, and ensure your needs are met. A friend, family member, or care coordinator can also help you advocate.

Manage Emotional Changes

It is normal to experience a range of emotions. Find healthy ways to cope, like talking to friends and family, journaling, joining a support group, or seeking professional help.

Relationships May Shift

Be prepared for your relationships to change. Some may grow closer, others more distant. It's also normal to feel misunderstood or to have different expectations from others.

Embrace Lifestyle Changes

Making healthy lifestyle choices is crucial. Quitting smoking, eating nutritious food, staying physically active, and managing stress are all vital for your recovery and long-term health.

Prepare for Lasting Side Effects

Some side effects from treatment might linger. Discuss any ongoing symptoms with your doctor and ask about connecting with a palliative care specialist to help manage these effects and improve your quality of life.

Plan for Ongoing Checkups

Your care continues after treatment. Before your final appointment, get an "end-of-treatment summary" from your doctor that outlines your diagnosis, treatments, and future follow-up schedule.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said tropical storm Dexter has been formed in the western Atlantic late Sunday. It will mark the fourth named storm of 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. While the NHC forecast did indicate that the storm would track away from the US coast and was not an immediate threat to land, the storm could however cause fear for many. In fact, several studies have shown that hurricanes could lead to cardiovascular diseases. How? This is because storms and flooding could damage and disrupt health-care infrastructure, which also includes hospitals and clinics, and can further delay access to emergency services.

A 2024 systematic review published in JAMA Cardiology talks about how hurricanes and other extreme weather events could worsen heart disease, and is a leading cause of death worldwide.

The Hidden Cardiac Toll

Dr. Nagamalesh U M, Lead Consultant, Cardiology & Interventional Cardiology at Aster CMI Hospital in Bangalore, emphasized the importance of advance planning. “For heart patients living in hurricane-prone areas, preparation can be life-saving. It’s crucial to keep a ready-to-go emergency kit with extra medications, copies of prescriptions, and backup power sources,” he said.

Stress, Trauma, and the Strain on the Heart

Hurricanes don’t just shatter homes; they unravel lives. The emotional trauma of losing loved ones, being displaced, or enduring weeks without power and water can create chronic psychological stress. In Puerto Rico, for instance, more than 60% of residents in some regions reported heightened mental health symptoms six months after Hurricane Maria, reports Think Global Health.

This isn’t just an emotional toll, it’s a physical one, too. “Chronic psychological stress, especially from events like extreme weather or PTSD, can silently take a toll on heart health over time,” Dr. Nagamalesh explained. Elevated stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline increase blood pressure, elevate heart rate, and trigger inflammation, all of which put the heart at risk.

Left untreated, the effects of stress can lead to arterial stiffening, plaque build-up, and an increased risk of heart attacks or strokes. It also affects habits: poor sleep, unhealthy eating, and medication non-compliance, all compounding cardiovascular risk.

Case Studies In Disaster: What Past Storms Have Taught Us

The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry's 2019 study on PTSD symptoms following Hurricane Katrina revealed how hospitals in New Orleans lost power, forcing medical staff to make heartbreaking choices about which patients to prioritize. Heart attack rates among older adults rose sharply during and after the storm, and stayed elevated for years, especially among those with post-traumatic stress.

When Hurricane Sandy hit New York, generators failed at major hospitals, prompting large-scale evacuations. In its wake, cardiovascular healthcare demand among seniors in New Jersey remained two to three times higher for more than a year. Even two years later, many patients struggled with uncontrolled blood pressure.

Maria’s impact was felt far beyond Puerto Rico. The hurricane crippled a factory that supplied half of the U.S.’s IV fluid bags, triggering a nationwide shortage of essential medications for heart patients.

What To Know Before The Next Storm

Preparing for the next hurricane means more than reinforcing buildings, it requires a complete rethinking of how health systems support cardiovascular patients in times of crisis. Dr. Nagamalesh recommended hospitals identify high-risk heart patients and build personalized emergency protocols. “Investing in mobile clinics, partnering with community pharmacies, and training teams for cardiac emergencies can save lives,” he noted.

Hospitals must also ensure their power and communications infrastructure can withstand extreme weather. During Tropical Storm Harvey, Houston’s trauma center stayed operational, but surrounding road closures caused a food shortage, a lesser-known reason why patient evacuations were considered. Disasters expose not just infrastructural weaknesses, but systemic ones too.

Doctors and patients must work together to create emergency plans tailored to individual needs. “Patients should maintain a backup supply of critical medications and communicate with their care team before and after a storm,” said Dr. Nagamalesh. For those dependent on battery-powered devices, even a few minutes without power can be fatal, highlighting the need for long-term contingency planning.

Mental health care must also be an integral part of storm recovery. Treating stress and anxiety proactively may be as important as refilling prescriptions when it comes to protecting heart health.

As hurricanes intensify with each passing year, cardiovascular resilience must become a cornerstone of climate resilience. Investments in infrastructure, supply chain redundancy, and community-based care aren’t just disaster responses, they’re preventative health measures.

Ultimately, hurricanes may be natural disasters, but the cardiac crises that follow don’t have to be.

Living past 100 isn’t just a milestone—it’s a biological mystery. For centuries, philosophers like Plato and Aristotle have speculated about aging, but only now, with modern science, are we beginning to decode the factors that separate the exceptionally long-lived from the rest of us.

And while lifestyle advice like “eat healthy” or “exercise regularly” still holds, new evidence suggests your blood might already be telling the story of how long you'll live decades before you reach old age.

A new study out of Sweden, published in GeroScience, has analyzed blood samples from over 44,000 people and tracked their health for more than three decades. The results? Those who lived past 100 shared subtle but consistent differences in certain biomarkers, particularly those tied to metabolism, inflammation, kidney and liver function, and nutrition

How Are Centenarians Biologically Distinct?

Centenarians (people who live to 100 or beyond) used to be statistical outliers. Today, they're one of the fastest-growing age groups in the world, doubling roughly every ten years since the 1970s. This demographic shift is forcing researchers to examine what exactly allows some people to not only live longer, but to live well into their 90s and beyond—often with fewer chronic conditions.

The Swedish study used data from the Amoris cohort, tracking people aged 64–99 for up to 35 years. Out of 44,000 participants, 1,224 (2.7%) lived to 100, and interestingly, 85% of them were women.

Rather than focus on anecdotal habits or isolated lifestyle factors, the researchers went straight to the bloodstream—measuring 12 key blood-based biomarkers that reflect various physiological processes including inflammation, metabolism, kidney and liver health, and nutritional status.

Subtle Signs That Set Centenarians Apart

When comparing those who lived to 100 with those who didn’t, the differences weren’t necessarily dramatic—but they were meaningful. One of the findings- centenarians tended to have lower levels of glucose, creatinine, and uric acid from their 60s onward.

While the median biomarker values weren’t always drastically different between groups, what stood out was that centenarians rarely had extremely high or low values. This biological "moderation" suggests that extreme metabolic fluctuations earlier in life may correlate with lower chances of exceptional longevity. For instance:

• Very few centenarians had glucose levels above 6.5 mmol/L.
• Likewise, only a small fraction had creatinine levels above 125 µmol/L.

Even uric acid often overlooked had a surprisingly predictive role. People with the lowest uric acid levels had a 4% chance of reaching 100, compared to just 1.5% among those with the highest levels.

What Exactly Biomarkers That Help You Live Longer?

The biomarkers measured in the study covered a wide range of physiological systems:

Inflammation: Uric acid

Metabolism: Total cholesterol, glucose

Liver function: Alanine aminotransferase (Alat), aspartate aminotransferase (Asat), albumin, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (Alp), lactate dehydrogenase (LD)

Kidney function: Creatinine

Nutrition and anemia: Iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and albumin

What’s striking is that 10 out of the 12 markers were linked to the likelihood of becoming a centenarian, even after adjusting for age, sex, and disease burden.

Albumin and Alat were the only two that didn’t show a significant association—but the rest provided strong clues that biological aging begins much earlier than we think, and that it leaves a footprint in our blood.

Is There a Connection Between Nutrition, Metabolic Health and Longevity?

Although this study didn’t isolate specific lifestyle factors, the associations are suggestive. The fact that metabolic and nutritional biomarkers—like glucose, cholesterol, and iron, correlated with longer life spans aligns with broader research on the importance of diet, alcohol moderation, and weight stability in aging.

It's worth noting that both low and high levels of certain markers were associated with poorer outcomes, reinforcing the idea that optimal, balanced ranges not extremes may be most important when it comes to aging well.

This insight has practical implications: monitoring your metabolic and organ health in your 60s and beyond may provide an early-warning system for how your aging trajectory is shaping up.

Genes vs. Lifestyle: How Much Control Do We Really Have?

This study doesn't confirm whether genes or behavior drive the biomarker differences—it only shows that those who lived longest had more favorable profiles. According to Karin Modig, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet and lead author of the study, chance probably plays a role, but so do genes and lifestyle choices.

In other words, some people may be genetically predisposed to age more slowly, but even among those individuals, metabolic moderation and good organ function seem to be common themes.

You don't need to chase some mythical "perfect" blood profile but that small, cumulative differences in biological function across decades may matter more than we thought.

Paying attention to your glucose, creatinine, and uric acid levels as you age could help you catch red flags early. Liver and kidney markers, often underappreciated, may hold secrets to long-term health. Nutrition appears to play a much more central role in aging than many assume.

None of these factors guarantees you’ll live to 100—but they do suggest pathways worth preserving, monitoring, and optimizing.

This is the largest, longest-running study of its kind, and it delivers something few others have: longitudinal data on real people, across decades, tied to actual life outcomes.

Rather than rely on speculative theories or small anecdotal samples, the findings here provide a roadmap for future aging research, one that blends genetics, biology, lifestyle, and public health.

As the global population continues to gray, understanding how to extend not just lifespan but healthspan—the years of life spent in good health—will be critical. And studies like this bring us one step closer to unlocking the biology of exceptional aging.

Breastfeeding isn’t always the serene, natural experience it’s made out to be. It can be painful, exhausting, and confusing—especially in the early weeks. Add in pressure, misinformation, or lack of support, and what should be a nourishing act can quickly become overwhelming.

Breastfeeding is one of the most impactful ways to support a baby’s health but it’s also one of the most misunderstood—and undervalued—aspects of early motherhood. This World Breastfeeding Week, it’s time we reframe how we think about breastfeeding. It’s not just a private matter between mother and child. It’s a community responsibility. From the delivery room to the office cubicle, every environment can either support or sabotage a woman’s breastfeeding journey.

Breastfeeding affects women at every level. Physically, it triggers hormonal changes that stimulate milk production and help the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size. Emotionally, it deepens the bond between mother and child, but it can also leave women feeling depleted, especially during frequent nighttime feeds or cluster feeding phases.

Many women also experience anxiety about whether they’re “doing it right.” They worry about milk supply, latch issues, or societal judgment. That’s where family support becomes crucial.

As Dr. Kushal Agrawal, Neonatologist and Paediatrian explains, “Guidance and reassurance can make a world of difference. It’s time we create an ecosystem that nurtures—not pressures—mothers to breastfeed confidently and consistently.”

Why Family (and Especially Husbands) Matter More Than You Think?

A breastfeeding mother doesn’t just need privacy—she needs partnership. Fathers and family members are not bystanders in this process. Their encouragement, practical help, and emotional support can be the difference between a short-lived attempt and long-term success.

Whether it’s preparing meals, taking over chores, helping with burping, or simply offering emotional validation, these actions show the mother that she’s not alone.

Mothers who feel supported are more likely to initiate breastfeeding early and continue longer. That means better health outcomes for the baby—and better mental health for the mother.

Debunking Myths About Breastfeeding

Many new mothers find themselves tangled in myths that shake their confidence.

“Maybe I don’t have enough milk.”

“Is my baby crying because my milk isn’t strong enough?”

“It’s too hot—should I give water?”

These doubts often lead to unnecessary formula use or early weaning. But the truth is clear: breast milk alone is enough for the first six months. It hydrates, nourishes, and strengthens immunity. No extra water, no supplements.

Families must be part of this myth-busting process. Instead of second-guessing the mother, support her. Instead of panic, offer perspective. A confident mother is a successful breastfeeder.

The first hour after birth isn’t just magical—it’s biological gold. Known as the “Golden Hour,” this period is when skin-to-skin contact and early suckling help kickstart lactation and bonding.

Hospitals must actively protect this window. That means avoiding unnecessary formula top-ups, training nurses in lactation basics, and prioritizing rooming-in policies.

According to Dr. Agrawal, “Breastfeeding support must start in the delivery room. The earlier the bonding and latching, the smoother the road ahead.”

Why Nighttime Feeds Are Crucial?

Midnight wakeups may feel exhausting, but they serve a crucial biological function. The hormone prolactin—responsible for milk production—peaks at night. That means nighttime feeds play a powerful role in building and maintaining supply but mothers can’t—and shouldn’t—do this alone. Partners can handle burping, rocking, or changing diapers so the mother can focus on nursing and return to rest sooner. Think of it as tag-teaming through the toughest hours.

Why Workplace Support Is Essential For Breastfeeding Moms?

Returning to work is one of the biggest hurdles to sustained breastfeeding but it doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker. Workplace support is key. This includes:

• Clean, private spaces to pump
• Flexible breaks
• Refrigeration options for milk storage
• Employer education on breastfeeding rights

Companies that invest in breastfeeding-friendly policies are rewarded with healthier employees, fewer sick leaves, and better morale. Supporting breastfeeding at work is not a perk—it’s a public health policy.

Here’s the unfortunate reality, many mothers still feel ashamed or judged when feeding in public. But babies don’t follow schedules—and mothers shouldn’t be forced into hiding. We can shift this culture by:

• Creating feeding rooms in malls, airports, and transit hubs
• Training frontline staff to support, not shame, breastfeeding mothers
• Including breastfeeding education in schools and community programs

When society treats breastfeeding as natural and necessary, it becomes easier for mothers to feel confident wherever they are.

Could Milk Banks Transform Breastfeeding For Women?

Not all mothers can breastfeed. Illness, medication, preterm birth, or surgical complications can interfere. Milk banks collect, screen, pasteurize, and distribute donated breast milk to infants in need especially those in neonatal intensive care. More awareness around milk donation, along with investment in safe and accessible bank networks, can help every baby get a healthy start—even if their own mother can’t breastfeed.

Breastfeeding success doesn’t rest solely on a mother’s shoulders. It requires support systems that span home, hospitals, workplaces, and communities.

As Dr. Agrawal emphasizes, “Let’s move beyond slogans and truly support breastfeeding—at birth, at home, at work, and out in the world. Because when a mother is supported, a child is nourished—and a generation grows healthier.”

Dr Kushal Agrawal, HOD, Department of Neonatology and Paediatrics, KVR Hospital, Kashipur in India